26th Feb Second day of Tibetan New Year at retreat centre...

Karma Ngedon Palbar Ling retreat centre.

26th Feb.

At the retreat centre, I woke up in the early morning when our retreat Lamas were playing the tiny little ritual cymbals they use during their daily ritual of offering Torma. The air is cool and fresh and all the Rinpoches and Lamas are in their best of health and spirit. They expected my arrival as planned and are very happy to see me. I myself feel extreme joy being with them even for just a night and day, that we are all together. We talked about their practice and other daily matters.

The retreat centre Lamas are extremely busy with their schedule for the whole year with the exception of the three days of Tibetan New Year. This is their only rest time in one year where they seem very relaxed but are busy “meeting” people. They cannot meet people face to face but their relatives and friends come to the retreat centre to present their gifts and they talk to them without seeing them. There is a meeting place where sound can travel through without obstruction but the visitors and the Lamas cannot see each other.

My mum "meets" Rinpoches and the Lamas and presents them with new year gifts.

I noticed on the second day of new year that many of their relatives who come to meet them are filled with so much joy and offer new year gifts such as juice, biscuit and other food stuff that are usually enjoyed only during new year time.

Our monks are waiting for their turn to "meet" Rinpoches and the Lamas at the Retreat centre.

I had a good time talking with Dupsing Rinpoche and the Lamas at night; they had just completed a month long Mahakala Retreat on the 24th of February which was really a difficult practice. In our retreat centre there are 16 retreat participants which are the Rinpoches and Lamas only, they completed the four foundation practice and many other practices within the past one whole year and they complete Vipsana meditation and now starting Shamatha meditation. Very soon they are going to start the six yogas of Naropa which is the most important practice under the Karma Kagyu tradition.

Later in the evening I will be going back to the monastery as tomorrow morning I have to attend some functions. I feel a little bit sad to depart from them but it is a matter of fact that life is always like that. When we meet, we will inevitably depart at the end and when we depart there is always a chance to meet. So in reality there shouldn't be any feelings of sadness or joy over such occurences.